Middle English Dictionary Entry
grāciǒus adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | grāciǒus adj. Also grac(i)eux, graco(u)s, grati(o)us, & gracewis, & gracivose. |
| Etymology | OF gracïos & L grātiōsus. For grācivọ̄se, cp. bǒuntevǒus, etc.; ?grācewīs reshaped as grāce & wīse. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Of God: good, merciful, benevolent; (b) of a person, an action: filled with God's grace; (c) influenced or caused by God's grace, conveying God's grace; ~ dai, day when grace is obtainable; ~ gift, grace; ~ men, means of grace; ~ merite and valeu, merit productive of further grace.
Associated quotations
a
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)312 : A! gracious gode god! þouȝ grettest of alle! Moch is þi mercy & þi miȝt, þi menske, & þi grace!
- c1400(?c1380) Patience (Nero A.10)26 : Thay ar happen also þat halden her pese, For þay þe gracious Godes sunes schal godly be called.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)15.134 : God is ay gracious to alle þat gredeþ to hym.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)133 : How mercyful and gracyouse God es..Þis suld ilk man knaw.
- c1450(c1400) Sultan Bab.(Gar 140)478 : The Pope..assoiled every man Through gracious god in Dome.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)268/1077 : Why wolt þou gracyous fadyr þat it xal be so, May man not ellys be savyd be non other kende?
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)361/178 : That gracyows lord hath sent me yow sone.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)28/165 : Tell me for charite, thi name so gracius.
- c1500 Cleges (Ashm 61)172 : Grasyos lord..My wyfe and my chylder two, Kepe vs out of stryffe.
b
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.245 : Harald..made a gracious ende, and þat was i-knowe by his laste confessioun.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)5803 : He ys a man ful gracyous, Gode to wynne vn-to þyn hous.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)2081 : Noe, þat gracius and god, Liued fourti ȝere after þe flod.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)39.565 : For he A more gracious Man schal ben thanne Evere was Ony Of his stren.
- c1450 Surge mea (Lamb 853)67 : Quid est ista so vertuose..Aurora consurgens graciouse?
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)77/149 : Þis is A mervelyous thynge..A babe of thre ȝer age..to come vp þese grecys..no dowth of she xal be gracyous.
c
- c1400 St.Anne(1) (Min-U Z.822.N.81)380 : In gude thewes was scho plentyuose, & neuer wroght bot ay gracyuose..Þat all þat any seknes hade & towchid hyr..hale þai went away.
- (?c1422) Hoccl.ASM (Dur-U Cosin V.3.9)271 : Allas so many a fair and gracious day Haue y lost..Þat mighte in hem my soules helthe han wonne.
- a1425(?c1384) Wycl.Church (Bod 788)362 : For ȝif þei wolden suspende hemsilf fro alle þingis but Goddis lawe, it were a graciouse suspendinge.
- (?a1430) Hoccl.MG (Hnt HM 111)81 : Thy gracious bountee spredith al aboute..Thow to thy sone canst be swich a mene, That all our giltes he foryeueth.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)166/13 : Þe sayde doctowr, confermyng hir crying & hir wepyng, seyd it was a gracyows & a specyal ȝyft of God.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)187 : It is perilose..a man to aliene awey..eny of his suche goostly vertuose dedis -- þat is to seie þe graciose meritis and valewis of hem.
- ?a1450 Add.Mir.Virg.(Add 39996)363/2 : Anoþer miracle fel y-wisse, þat was faire and gracewis.
- c1475 Awntyrs Arth.(Tay 9)254 : These ar the gracius [vr. graceful] giftus of the Holi Gost.
- c1400 Interpol.Rolle Cant.(1) (Bod 288)6 : Ȝe schulen drawe..watir of devocioun..ȝeldinge servise to God..of þe plenteuouse graciouse ȝiftis of Jesus Crist.
- a1475 Cross of ihesu (Rwl B.408)8 : Gracyous crosse, now grawnt us þat grace Hym for to worship with al oure mynde.
- c1475(c1445) Pecock Donet (Bod 916)87/14 : Graciose benefetis of god ben þese:..his ordinaunce þat man..schulde be restorid into saluacioun..and þat grace wiþynneforþ schulde move vs and stirre vs into good.
- c1475(a1449) Lydg.Expos.PNoster (LdMisc 683)129 : We wer renewyd ful nyh to thyn allye By the Hooly Goostys gracious influence.
- c1475 Why Nun (Vsp D.9)340 : For dreme was hyt none, ne fantasye, Hyt was vn-to me a gratius mene.
- c1490(?a1449) ?Lydg.De SMCP (Chet 6709)2 : O Hevenly sterre..Which, with thy goostely gracyous Influence, Haste..put vnto flyght Alle mysty wedrys.
2.
Fortunate, successful, happy, wealthy.
Associated quotations
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.321 : Þerfore by cause of plente of corne and of fruyt þey beeþ i-cleped Fortunat, þat is, gracious.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.313 : Þis [Tiberius] was first wise and redy i-now, and gracious [L fortunatus] in armes.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)6.403 : Goo þider as God clepeþ þe; sewe hym with a gracious [L fausto] foot þat ledeþ the.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)3080 : For wher he may an other se That is mor gracious than he, It schal noght stonden in his miht Bot if he hindre such a wiht.
- a1400 Cato(3) (Frf 14)302 : Þe mare þou art of prise, and gracious to office, serue þou mare tentli.
- a1450 Rich.(Cai 175/96)6522 : Now may ȝe here att þe wynnyng þat þer wan R[ichard] oure kyng. Hors off prys and gret camayle..It was to R[ichard] a gracyous dede.
- c1450(c1350) Alex.& D.(Bod 264)193 : Þe kidde king Alixandre..Þat grete god Amon in graciouce timus Bigat on Olimpias.
- c1450(c1425) Brut-1419 (Cmb Kk.1.12)377/29 : Our King..bade hem alle to be a gode chere, for þei schulde [haue] a..gracious victori.
- c1475(c1445) Pecock Donet (Bod 916)160/13 : I haue hope of þe bettir side and of þe gracioser lott.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)124/244 : Bot were I not more gracyus and rychere befar, I were eten outt of howse and of harbar.
3.
(a) Favorable, well-disposed, kindly; generous, openhanded; in your ~ daies, when you were kind; (b) in honorific modes of address: your ~ lordshipe, etc.; your ~ hondes (consideracioun), etc.; (c) merciful, not severe; (d) helpful; ~ wind, a favorable wind; (e) astrol. of a planet: favorable, propitious.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.137 : O Venus..yif me som part of thi grace, So that I may finde..If thou be gracious or non.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.409 : Forthi, if thou wolt grace have, Be gracious and do largesse.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.5795 : Þe honour and þe reuerence [of Bacchus] Is reysed most..Among wynteris..Because he is to hem so gracious.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.5451 : I clepe dar..to Allecto and Thesyphone, And Megera..With Cerberus, depe doun in helle, Whom I mote praie to be gracious To may mater, whiche is so furious.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)1.885 : Ne I nevere saugh a more bountevous..n'a more gracious For to do wel.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)3458 : Though he [Daunger] aforn was dispitous, He shall heere aftir be gracious.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)3877 : This was sir Gawayne the gude..the graciouseste gome that vndire God lyffede.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)13553 : Iff ye haue ferkit any fode to þis frith now, Bes gracius..ges me som part.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)1417 : A, Agea, myne old love..in yeur graciouse dayis, of hertis trobilnes I had nevir knowlech.
- (1471) LRed Bk.Bristol2.130 : Forasmoche as..the Duc of Clarance hath specially instaunted vs to be gracious lord vnto the Town..We inclined..to entrete suche persones..with resonable moderacion.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)175/209 : For be gracyous mahound more myrth never I had.
- a1500(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Dub 213)29/798* : Now er þe sawes into þi seluen fyneshit, Right as my graceux gode hase galet me before.
- a1500 Wars Alex.(Dub 213)1964 : For all þe gracieux goddez þat þe ground visiten, All er vndir my obedience.
b
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mel.(Manly-Rickert)B.3011 : We submitten vs to the excellence and benygnytee of youre gracious lordshipe.
- c1400(1389) Wycl.25 Art.(Dc 273)457 : All men þat schal wiþ hem speke schul..calle hem moste holy faderis..and most mercyful and gracius.
- (1418) MSS PRO in App.Bk.Lond.E.293 : Most excellent and noble Prince..take this matere in-to your gracieux hondes.
- (1423) Pet.Sutton in Fenland NQ 7307 : To owre Worshipfull and graciouse lord Erle of Suffolk..Besechys mekely the pore tenauntry of the Duchie..to consider the grete grevaunce..that thei stonde in.
- (1447) Shillingford27 : To that is called your fe, most specially bysekyng yor gode and gracious lordship to be amytted therto.
- (1454) Let.Oxf.in OHS 35326 : We recommend us mekely un to youre good and gracyouse ladyshippe.
- (1464) RParl.5.551 : Moost humbly besechen..Th'abbesse and Covent..That it may please youre Highnes..to graunte unto youre said Oratricez youre moost gratious Lettres Patentes.
- (1473) RParl.6.21 : Please it youre Highnes to have in your moost gracious consideration, that the seid Thomas Cornewayll was in prisone.
c
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)6.69 : Þe corsed erle slouȝ þe kyng, for he was gracious and good.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)6.1080 : For I have yit of brethren fyve..To whom, as thou art gracious, I preie that thou woldest sende Lazar.
- c1436 Ipswich Domesday(2) (Add 25011)145 : Ȝif ony bochier foreyn..be founden in such defaute..thanne to hym be the ballyves gracious and favorabele.
- c1450(c1386) Chaucer LGW Prol.(1) (Benson-Robinson)347 : A god..of hys deitee he shal be stable, And therto gracious and merciable.
d
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)117a/b : Also þey [sterres] ben gracious [L prospere] to schipmen and lediþ hire wey in þe myddil of þe see.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)5.1955 : Þe wawes gon for to clere, And gracious wynd gan to vs awake.
e
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)113b/b : Masallach seiþ þat þe sonne is a gracious [L fortunatus] planete of it self.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.1634 : [Medea] vsed also to make illusions..Whan þe mone..was fortuned with lokyng gracious.
4.
(a) Of a man: honorable, noble, vertuous; (b) of an action, gift: conveying honor, honorable; (c) of an animal: good, faithful.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.1447 : Thei weren gracious and wys, And worthi forto bere a pris.
- (1450) Doc.in HMC Rep.9 App.1217 : We..put into the sayde howse xiii pore men, clene and gracious of lyvyng.
- c1450(?a1400) Parl.3 Ages (Add 31042)528 : And gud sir Gy de Burgoyne, full Gracyous of dedis.
b
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1592 : As tyt as þei [the messengers] had told..þe gracious graunt þei gaten of here herande, þemperour..was gladed.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)631 : He þat sadly for-soke..so gracius a gyste, þat me is graunt here, He might..be a fole holdyn.
c
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)277a/b : Among bestes þat wonyeþ wiþ vs, houndes and horses beþ most gracious [L fidelissimi].
5.
(a) Pleasing, attractive, winning, pleasant; (b) beautiful, fair.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.321 : Insule Fortunate..þere by gracious tymes [L Temperatae].
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mil.(Manly-Rickert)A.3693 : Vnder his tonge a trewe loue he beer For therby wende he to be gracious.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)151b/a : His [vulture's] tonge, I-take of wiþ outen yrene and I-honge aboute a mannes necke in newe clooþ, makeþ a man gracious to gete of a man what euer he askeþ.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)217b/b : Cipresse..haþ bitter leues and violent smel and gracious shadowe.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)233b/b : Þe appul tree is a tree..wiþ good fruyt and nobil and is gracious in sight and in taste.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)6.229 : And if þow wil be graciouse to god, do as þe gospel techeth.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)95 : So gracos gle couþe no mon gete As here and se her adubbement.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.4814 : On eche part he [Hector] was so vertuous, And to be loued þe most gracious.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)4714 : It is Caribdis perilous, Disagreable and gracious.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)1.91 : Grace is a manere in man bi which he is graciouse to God.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)187 : Gumbaldes graythely full gracious to taste.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)1748 : For all þe gracious godis & gudnes on erthe, Þat..sustaynes þe erth, Prayses ay þe Persyns.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)9.40 : This kyngdome sall be the graciousere for the illes that rennys bifore.
b
- a1350 Ichot a burde in boure (Hrl 2253)40 : Heo is dereworþe in day, graciouse, stout, ant gay.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)24/10 : Þe uirtues of kende huerby som ys kendeliche more þanne oþer, oþer larger..oþer graciouser.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Cl.(Manly-Rickert)E.613 : A knaue child she bar..Ful gracious and fair for to biholde.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)934 : Ȝe lenge and loute To loke on þe glory of þys gracous gote.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)216 : A stif staf..Þat watz..al bigrauen with grene, in gracios werkes.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)2811 : Hir mouth, that is so gracious, So swete, and eke so saverous.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)45/23 : Toward the est ende of the cytee is a full fair chirche and a graciouse.
- c1450(c1350) Alex.& D.(Bod 264)954 : We frekus ben so fre þat we frut haven, And al þat growus in þe ground of graciouce þingus.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4909 : Alexander..fand a berne in a bedd..Ane of þe graciousest gomes þat euire god fourmed.
- c1450(?c1425) St.Eliz.Spalb.(Dc 114)115/45 : And hir chere semiþ þen ful specyous and cleer & gracyous.
- c1450 Spec.Chr.(2) (Hrl 6580)122/2 : As a fayre face es made gracyus in mennys syght, so a clen conscience es fayre in the sight of god.
- a1475 Siege Troy(1) (Hrl 525)1247d : Lovely were her eyen too, Gracious vice she had also.